Death By Hiei
by JaganshiKenshin
Summary: Why the sudden onslaught of suicidal youkai? And what makes Hiei the focus? All too soon, Hiei and Kurama are embroiled in a deadly game. Can they find the culprit in time- and can they stop him?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters presented in this work. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular fic occurs a couple of years later. It's strongly recommended that you read _IB_ and _FS_ first.

Title: Death by Hiei C1: Broken Chopsticks

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: T

Summary: After a grueling year of rehab, and then some, Hiei makes a trip to Rome and returns with a surprise---and Kurama reacts with burning curiosity.

A/N: Again, I find myself drawn to using Kurama as a first-person viewpoint character. This first chapter has been newly refurbished---the entire story has been roughed out, and only awaits a chapter-by-chapter polish before I start updating. See my accompanying sketches on LJ, and as always, thanks for reading and please review! ^^

"You don't even feel it yet, do you?"

Death by Hiei (C1: Broken Chopsticks)

by

Kenshin

I counted only three strokes of the katana before the demon fell. And they were leisurely strokes at that.

Hiei looked down at the body, then at me. It was evident from his melancholy expression that his heart hadn't been in it; he incinerated the oni almost as an afterthought.

The unfortunate victim was a garden-variety oni, about seven feet tall, its green hide tastefully clad in a tiger-skin toga. His is the type you will find working as a scribe for Koenma-sama or as a thug for any powerful demon overlord.

Hiei wiped the bloodied sword on the grass. "Is this normal?"

I shrugged, knowing Hiei did not speak of his own lack of enthusiasm for a fight; this oni was the fourth low-level demon who had attacked him this week.

And it was only Wednesday.

A glorious day to be deep in the park, however, where there was a heavy cover of trees, and little foot traffic.

And it was unusually warm for mid-October. Leaves blazed in a carnival of fire-colors, and the air thrummed with the exciting scents of autumn: ripening chestnuts, chrysanthemum unfurled, the faint and bitter tang of burning _youkai_.

Smacking the katana back in its saya, Hiei sighed wearily. Then he turned, striding in the direction of the streets. "I'm hungry," he said. "Sushi's on me."

0-0-0-0-0

The Red Lantern is a nice, unpretentious little eatery, much like the Yukimura diner, only closer to the park. It lies on the street directly facing the park's southwestern border, where the paving stones are dotted with specimen trees and young people displaying their finery.

But once we were seated, with platters of fresh seafood set before us, I discovered that Hiei was faster with his chopsticks than he had been with his sword. He easily beat me to the last piece of tekka maki. However, he took pity on me and, waving our waitress over, requested that she bring us another platter.

I surmised this meant that Hiei wasn't hurting for cash, even though he and Shay-san had assumed the financial burden of a house. Neither had been working much of late, either, and there was the matter of that recent trip to Rome, about which Hiei had said very, very little---if nothing can count for little.

After his return, Hiei had told me only that he'd been given a sword. I wondered if he'd been given a retainer as well. "I wonder whether there's a been a break in the barrier between worlds again." That would be a grave matter, so soon after the other rift had been re-woven.

"Don't think so. According to Yuusuke, Koenma hasn't said anything. Besides, if the demon plane was leaking into the human world again, I would start acting unpleasant."

I smiled sweetly. "And that would be different from the way you always are in what particular way?"

The waitress returned, setting down the new platter of food before Hiei could even threaten to dismember me.

Never was there such a timely arrival. The platter gleamed with an abundance of tekka maki, Black Ninja rolls, octopus balls, and neatly butterflied pieces of salmon sashimi, all decorated with pink pickled ginger and green blobs of wasabi.

After half a Ninja roll, Hiei pushed the platter across the table. "Go ahead. I'm done."

As I dug gratefully into the food, Hiei took a cell phone from his pocket and clicked it open, and spoke into it. "Get me the moron."

"Get him yourself." To my surprise, the device answered Hiei. It has a rough, unpleasant male voice.

Hiei responded with a word I would not repeat in mixed company. Pressing another button, he punched in a string of numbers, and waited.

Never having been exposed to a phone that talked back, my curiosity was piqued. "What is that?"

He frowned. "Why do they insist on giving these stupid things male personalities?"

"What stupid things?"

"Don't they know I get along better with women?" He straightened. "Shizuru? Send the moron to the phone."

I stifled a laugh. "Is this you, getting along better with women?"

He cut me a sidewise glare. Hiei is as abrupt as an American, but I cannot chalk it up entirely to Shay-san's influence. After all, he started out that way.

"Hey, Moron." Hiei spoke into the phone. "Have you been on the receiving end of any demon attacks lately?" He listened, punctuating the silence with an occasional grunt. At last he hung up, glanced at me, but said nothing.

He was going to make me ask. "Well?"

"The moron's run into four demons this week."

"And?"

"And they take one look at him and say, 'Oh, it's only _you._'" Lifting his chopsticks, Hiei stuck them absently in his mouth. "Then they flee before he has a chance to take them on."

"Looking for someone other than Kuwabara-kun?"

"Obviously." He scowled, gnawing the chopsticks.

"Be careful you don't break one of those," I admonished.

"Why?"

I heard a distinct crack. A chopstick fell from Hiei's mouth, neatly bisected.

"It's bad luck if you do."

"Keh! I make my own luck." Nevertheless he took the other chopstick from his mouth and gingerly laid it on the table.

An uncomfortable silence settled in until I changed the subject. "A new phone _and_ a new sword," I mused. "It would be interesting to see it in action."

He snorted. "You just did."

"I wasn't referring to the phone."

"Hiei-sama!" A childlike voice piped the greeting, interrupting my train of thought. A jaki had popped up on the back of Hiei's chair.

I recognized it, of course, as the jaki that Shay-san favored. About the size of a chipmunk, with its plush gray fur, prehensile tail, and human-looking face, it was hard to mistake for any other. It was also distinguished by its broken nose, and that, combined with its thatch of rufous hair, gave it the comical appearance of an A/V geek desperately trying to appear trendy. I suppose women might think it 'cute.'

Hiei rolled his eyes. "What did I tell you about entering human establishments? In my pocket, this instant."

With a shrill squeak of apology, it ducked inside Hiei's black mantle. As jaki go, it wasn't the worst; Shay-san had bribed it with candy when it was Old Dragon's spy, and in return, it risked its life to get them information that may very well have saved the lives of the twins.

It had trailed Hiei ever since, looking for handouts. They---or rather, Shay-san---had even given it a name, which I refused to acknowledge.

Pointing the un-broken chopstick at my plate, Hiei asked, "You done with that? Good. Have them wrap up the leftovers and meet me back in the park."

Rising, jaki still in pocket, Hiei threw money on the table, then shot from the restaurant without a backward glance.

As I said. Almost as abrupt as an American.

0-0-0-0-0

Hiei fed the jaki our leftovers while we sheltered beneath a venerable, gold-spangled maple in the park. I watched with a mixture of fascination and revulsion as the little creature gobbled tako yaki, spraying greasy bits of batter and octopus meat everywhere.

"More." Bouncing up and down, it held out its tiny hands.

"No more, little brother," Hiei informed it, not unkindly. Nevertheless it hovered at our feet, hopeful for further handouts.

"Well? Did it tell you anything, other than the fact that it wants more food?" I thought that dignifying the jaki with a gender was a bit much, let alone calling it 'little brother,' but kept my own council on that particular point.

Hiei's raised eyebrow was all the answer I needed. "Wonder if the park is a focal point, though. The moron said he met those demons here, too."

The park? A southerly breeze stirred my hair. I lifted my head to gaze at a soaring pine tree without really seeing it.

At any given moment in the human world, there can be large numbers of _youkai_ circulating. Not all are dangerous to people. Hordes of jaki live among them, virtually undetected, and most of those can do little more than mischief.

For the past few days, however, the rising number of large demons eager to impale themselves upon Hiei's sword might not be mere coincidence. If a break in the barrier, too small for Koenma to bother with, had its locus here....?

Creatures like jaki are so small and possess such a low degree of spiritual power that they can get through the barrier between worlds at any time. Something the size of a one-eye, or those winged monsters Hiei calls 'tourons,' while low in power rating, are physically much larger, but equally capable of strolling through the border without detection. Enough of those types, however, forming a gang intent on doing harm---

A good Spellcaster could find out a great deal more about the situation than an impatient fire demon who killed first, and asked questions later.

"What about catching one alive," I ventured, "then having Shay-san interrogate it?"

"When I keep promising her she gets to stay home and be a Mommy?" Hiei almost shuddered, but not quite. "Besides, she's still jet-lagged from the trip to Rome."

"Perhaps that trip itself has something to do with the appearance of those demons."

Hiei shrugged. "How? Unless they want to know who's my travel agent."

"In any case, we'll need better information than one of these walking stomachs can supply." The jaki still circled our feet, as persistent as a Hare Krishna at an airport.

Hiei folded his arms and gave me a sour look. "Face it, Kurama. I suck at debriefing."

"True." I agreed, perhaps more enthusiastically than was prudent. "You can't debrief a dead suspect."

"Which means you're right about catching one alive. And you're better at that than I am."

This could have been an attempt to deflect me from what Hiei knew I was getting to---the sword---or it could have been a genuine compliment, or any of a dozen other things. Sometimes with Hiei it's hard to tell; he is by turns blunt and impatient, then twistier and more canny than a thousand-years-dragon.

However.

I was still curious about Hiei's gift from Rome. "What does it look like---this new Roman sword?"

"You can't steal it, so bug off."

"Among the many things I love about you, the chiefest is your sense of tact."

I never saw it coming; in less than an eyeblink Hiei shot out both arms and gave me a healthy thump to the chest that sent me flying.

The ground slammed into my back, and caught between home soil and Hiei, I had the breath knocked from me.

Pushing Hiei away with difficulty, I sprang to my feet, ready for anything, and Hiei was just as quick to face me. "Was it something I said, or have you developed a sudden yearning to try out for linebacker on the New York Giants?"

In response, Hiei lashed out with one foot, cutting both my legs out from under me.

Then he was on me again, pressing me flat.

Simultaneous with that, I felt the flash of a faint demonic aura, and heard the unmistakeable _whang_ of a bullet's trajectory.

The slug thumped into the grass near my head.

We both rolled away and my hand came up wet with blood and I glared up at the towering pine to see a human-figured demon, secreted halfway up the tree.

I had a glimpse of his light gray skin, his brush-cut green hair, backward-pointing ears, and fingers tipped with black claws. The demon leered at us in malevolent glee, but that was not his sole weapon. He was also pointing a gun at us, holding it at arm's length, parallel to the ground in a pose he must have seen on a television show.

Hiei sprang, katana drawn. The demon attacker whisked away through trees, laughing. I sensed the near-imperceptible bunching of Hiei's muscles that signalled takeoff.

"Hiei, wait." I stopped him, placing my unbloodied hand on his left arm.

He spun to face me. "Arrogant bastard," he muttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Me or the gunman?"

"One-handed grip. Waving that thing around like a toy."

"That was no toy." I showed him my red-saturated palm.

"Damn." He smacked the katana back in its saya. "Thought I got you out of the line of fire just in time."

"You did."

"What, then? Cut yourself on a tree root?"

Hiei was refusing to understand what had just occurred. Or perhaps refusing to acknowledge.

"Not me." I turned him around, examined his back. It wasn't easy to see, not against the black of his mantle, but---

I turned him again so he was facing me. "There's no exit wound," I explained. "It's still in you."

Hiei thrust out his jaw. "_What's_ still in me?"

"You don't even feel it yet, do you?"

"Feel what?"

"The bullet. Can you stand?"

"Don't be stupid," Hiei grumbled. And he promptly toppled forward, leaving me to grab at his unconscious form so he wouldn't break his neck on the way down.

I hate when that happens.

0-0-0-0-0

(Yet anotherA/N: With this chapter newly-refurbished, I'll do my best to update with Chapter Two as soon as possible. C1 featured a nice illo of Hiei and Kurama, so I might post the drawing again to my LiveJournal for those who like illustrations.

Your reviews are my reward. Thanks.)

(To be continued: What sort of damage has Hiei taken this time? And who's behind the attack?)

-30-


	2. DBH C2: Room For One More, Honey

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters portrayed in this work. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular sidefic occurs somewhat later.

Title: Death by Hiei C2: 'Room For One More, Honey!'

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: T

Summary: Hiei is down, but can Kurama operate successfully?

A/N: Ohkubo-san makes a cameo appearance in this chapter. See my accompanying sketches on LJ, and as always, thanks for reading and please review! ^^

A bullet in the back spells trouble.

Death by Hiei (C2: 'Room For One More, Honey!')

by

Kenshin

Hiei lay crumpled upon the ground, victim of a rogue demon's bullet. I glanced round for the culprit but he had long gone.

Broken chopsticks. Bad luck.

Ever since the Dark Tournament, Hiei and I have been walking around with targets painted on our backs, him more so than myself. A certain type of underworld punk sees Hiei as a traitor to his own kind, and while most come to grief on his sword, some do succeed in inflicting damage before meeting their inevitable end.

And since Hiei is indeed a demon, the process of getting him medical attention is fraught with peril. For one, although Hiei appears to be quite human to the naked eye, he is not. His bone structure, musculature, and most of his internal organs raise no alarm bells upon cursory inspection. However, any form of blood test will reveal that Hiei is not what he seems, as will any X-ray of his skull. Even the biggest medical dullard is bound to notice the gaping hole in the middle of Hiei's frontal eminence.

Therefore the task of providing medical care invariably falls to me. 'Doctor' Kurama, once again reporting for duty.

I had managed to catch Hiei before he fell, placing him face-down so as to minimize damage from the bullet, but his skin looked waxen and his breathing seemed ragged.

Glancing around to ensure we were alone, I dug into Hiei's pocket to extract that curious phone. It must contain some sort of artificial intelligence, and having observed Hiei use it I knew what to do. Clicking it open, I requested, "Would you please connect me with Kuwabara-kun?" With Kuwabara's size and strength, we might both be able to wrangle the unconscious Hiei home without either arousing too much suspicion or causing further damage.

"Who the hell are you?" the unpleasant voice demanded.

"This is Kurama. Hiei is---"

"I don't care if you're the freakin' King of bloody Sweden. The request don't come from Hiei, I don't gotta listen."

"You don't even seem to do that."

The phone then suggested I engage in an activity that is anatomically impossible. Unable to comply with its request, I gave up on the phone. There was another resource, and I thought of that old saw: telephone, telegraph, tell a jaki.

More bad luck.

That damned greedy jaki---when you really needed it to fetch help, it was nowhere to be seen.

I couldn't haul Hiei through the streets on my own, and I most definitely could not call the police---not with officers Masumoto and Obayashi still looking askance at Hiei from his battle with Old Dragon. If they didn't stick him in jail just to be friendly, they'd call an ambulance, and it had been difficult enough hiding Hiei's demonic nature from the hospital staff the one time he'd been forced into treatment. Back then we had Dr. Smith running interference for us. Smith was not on call today.

Give up? Broken chopsticks and bad luck and all that?

Not if I could help it.

Kuwabara's friend Ohkubo was currently employed in driving a truck. He was not only strong and capable, but would likely keep silent if necessary. There was a pay phone on the street.

I would have to leave Hiei to make the call, but I summoned a plant that formed a sort of lightweight cage of brambles around him; not only would it ward him from further attacks, but also keep him concealed from prying eyes. That done, I sprinted for the phone.

0-0-0-0-0

Ohkubo met us at the edge of the park, his broad, dark and somewhat stolid features now enlivened with more than just a passing curiosity at the situation. Nevertheless, he helped me get Hiei into the truck without giving me the third degree, and only a caution not to bloody it up too much.

Hiei managed to rouse himself just as we drew near his house. With Ohkubo's sturdy assistance we extracted Hiei from the truck, and he allowed us to support him at first. But as we started up the walkway he snapped, "Let go. Can't let the kids see me dragged home on your arm."

When Hiei gets like this it's best not to interfere.

"You sure he'll be okay?" Ohkubo, hovering at Hiei's left elbow, shot me a worried look.

Hiei favored us each with our very own deathglare.

"If he has enough strength to do _that_, he'll be fine." I manufactured a cheerful grin for Ohkubo's sake, but I was far from certain of the outcome.

"Never been a parent, have you?" grumbled Hiei. I suppose that was his way of thanking Ohkubo, who gave a long-suffering sigh before getting into his truck and driving off.

That Hiei is ferociously protective of his twins Michael and Cecilia never surprised me. That he was also a bag of mush in their hands had---but as I do not wish to see my young life cut tragically short, I keep quiet on that matter.

Pulling himself upright, Hiei staggered the last few steps to the door, and graciously permitted me to ring the bell.

The door opened to reveal Shayla Kidd, dressed in chartreuse capris and a loose orange overblouse, colors that went well with her fire-hued hair, but her face looked pinched and pale, the gray eyes stark with worry. She had a dustrag carelessly stuffed into the patch pocket of her blouse.

She also wore a jaki on her shoulder---the little gray one from the restaurant and park. It was not a fashion statement.

She fed it peanuts as though it were indeed a squirrel; shells and red papery skins littered the _genkan_ and some of the debris had even made its way into the living room. The jaki looked at me from my sister-become's shoulder, its liquid black eyes round as though it too, was in a state of shock.

"Kaasan's got the twins." Shay-san's voice was tight and clipped. "Little Squirrel---he came and told me what happened, so I called your mother. She's picking up Michael and CeeCee from cram school. It's okay. They won't see Hiei like---"

As soon as Hiei heard that, he slumped against me, and once again I managed to catch him. Gasping, Shay-san hastily stuffed another peanut in the jaki's hands and stepped back to let us in. Clearly struggling to control her own fear, to remain calm for Hiei's sake, she asked, "How bad?"

"Bad enough," I replied. "Shoulder. No exit wound."

"Where do you want him?"

"Guest room." Hiei was and growing heavier by the second. "Are you strong enough to set up the massage table?"

She darted away before the words left my mouth, jaki still clinging to her shoulder. With my burden of the unconscious Hiei, I followed more slowly down the hall and to the left, where a guest room was tucked away next to the downstairs bath.

Shay-san already had the massage table set up in the middle of the room. It was a small space, with bare wooden floor, sparsely furnished and dimly lit, but in addition to the table there was an armchair in the far corner, illuminated by a gooseneck lamp, a secondhand bed in the opposite corner, along with a mis-matched chest of drawers and, serving as a makeshift night stand, an old metal cart of adjustable height.

As I eased Hiei face-down onto the table, Shay-san brought the tall gooseneck lamp and trained it on us. The jaki clung to her shoulder. It had balance, I'll give it that.

I ducked into the bathroom to scrub, and to fetch the bag of somewhat esoteric medical supplies I keep at their house. When I returned to the guest room, Shay-san was staring down at Hiei as if trying to reassure herself he was still breathing. She did not look up. "What else do you need?" she asked.

"I've got to get his mantle off so I can see the wound. You might bring a bottle of rubbing alcohol and bandages. A space heater too, now that I think of it." A warm operating theater is good for the patient.

She nodded, her eyes still big with worry.

"And get that filthy thing out of here." I pointed my chin at the jaki, which was still spraying peanut debris.

"Squirrel-chan is _not_ a filthy---" Nevertheless, seeing the wisdom of operating room cleanliness, Shayla Kidd dangled a peanut in front of its eager face. "Listen to me, Squirrel-chan. There's more where this came from, if you can bring me information about the one who shot Hiei."

"Yes, yes." It stretched its hands out for the last peanut. "But I won't share!"

"You won't have to," she soothed. Withholding the last peanut, she departed, the jaki still clinging to her shoulder.

I took a breath. There was barely enough light to see what I was doing.

To my surprise Hiei sat up and looked at me, the crimson gaze steady enough. "What's going on?"

"You've been shot."

"I thought we established that." He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of a hand. "I mean what---"

"This will probably hurt." I divested him of both mantle and shirt, and took a look at his wound.

Just as I suspected---one clean, round hole, about a half-inch in diameter, still bleeding, entry point high on the right shoulder, slight charring at the edges of the wound. A faint scent of cordite and scorched blood. The wound undoubtedly cut into the trapezius muscle and probably the infraspinatus beneath. I examined Hiei's front. No exit wound, which could mean any one of a number of things.

A small-caliber bullet that had been stopped by contact with Hiei's shoulder blade would be the best scenario.

The worst? Having been discharged from a high angle, the bullet, if not stopped by bone, might have burrowed down where even I couldn't retrieve it without risking Hiei's life.

I refused to think of broken chopsticks.

At least Hiei's wound wasn't bleeding in gouts, and his color was better now that he was home.

"How are you holding up?"

"Keep her out of here," he muttered through clenched teeth. "I don't care how you do it."

"I heard that." Shay-san lurched inside, lugging the big heater, with a bottle of rubbing alcohol sticking out of one pocket. "Not this time, Dragon Boy."

Hastily I relieved her of the burden and set the heater up. "She's squeamish," Hiei explained unnecessarily. "If she faints and hurts herself it's on your head."

"That's right." Setting down the bottle of alcohol, she shot Hiei a ferocious glance, which was undoubtedly her way of displaying relief to see him sitting up. "Talk about me like I was invisible. And it's not the smartest tactic to threaten your surgeon just before he operates."

"I'm used to it," I demurred. "The first time I treated Hiei he threatened to kill me." Directing Hiei to lie face-down, I had Shay-san train the light on the wound while I bent over my patient, considering approaches and options.

In my bag was a seed from a plant that grew in India millennia ago---the perrow vine, or Kali's tongue. It is attracted to metal, and was once used to purify the soil. Maybe luck could be persuaded over to our side again.

Having decided on a strategy I moved quickly. "You won't like this," I apologized, pouring raw alcohol into Hiei's wound to sterilize it.

He winced. "What else is new?"

I rolled the metal cart up close to the makeshift operating table with Shay-san hovering anxiously nearby. There was a stainless steel tray in my bag of tricks. I instructed her to place it on the cart.

I could not afford to look up now; the game was on in earnest and Hiei's life perhaps hung in the balance. Palming the perrow seed, I coaxed it into life: a miniature vine, blackish-green in hue, smooth and as yet leafless, no larger in diameter than dental floss, but with many times its tensile strength.

The root end curled around my palm before I sent the tip down into the wound to seek metal and wrap round the bullet.

"You'll like this even less," I murmured, as I ordered the vine to retract by the path that would cause the least damage, bringing the bullet out with it. "Sorry."

There was no sound from Hiei, other than a slight catch to his breath. The vine returned triumphant, clutching the bullet, and the wound bled freely again. That little catch of breath is the only signal I have whenever Hiei is in real pain; when I am merely working out one of his muscle knots he yowls like a scorched cat and accuses me of trying to murder him.

Allowing myself a sigh of relief, I dabbed blood from Hiei's wound. Perhaps we were heading out of the woods after all.

The perrow vine, having done its work, now hovered over the metal tray, still hanging on to the prize. At my command it released the bullet. The bullet clanged down into the middle of the tray and rolled to the raised lip, where it stopped, leaving a trail of blood. "The bullet seems flattened," I murmured. "Can someone tell its caliber or make just looking at it or----?"

"I'm.. not... f-familiar with..." Shay-san's words slurred, and then her voice slid away altogether. I risked a glance. No. Human females are definitely not meant to be that shade of green.

"Kurama..." Hiei's warning growl.

Eyelids fluttering, Shay-san swayed on her feet as she grabbed ineffectually at the metal cart.

I was about to have another patient, and my first one was still on the table---and still in danger.

It seemed luck had run out after all.

(To be continued: Can Kurama handle two fallen comrades at once?)

-30-


	3. DBH C3: Suicide by Cop

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters presented in this work, whether human or demon. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular sidefic occurs some time later.

Title: Death by Hiei C3: Suicide By Cop

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: T

Summary: One patient's already on the operating table, and it looks like Kurama will soon have another.

A/N: Again, I refer to Hiei's first meeting with Kurama, as told in the YYH manga extra _Two Shots_. See my accompanying sketches on LJ. As always, thanks for reading and please review! ^^

Another day, another fainting spell.

Death by Hiei (C3: Suicide By Cop)

by

Kenshin

Her skin a sickly shade of green, Shay-san swayed on her feet, clutching at anything she could grab. I couldn't afford for her to tip the table over and send Hiei crashing to the floor; nor did I want her to slump like a sack of grain and smash her head on the way down.

"In the chair," I barked. "Now!"

She complied. "Put your head on your knees," I added, in a gentler tone, as I sifted a packet of disinfectant crystals into Hiei's open wound, and heard another little catch of his breath. "Don't worry," I assured him. "Analgesic comes next."

I couldn't see Hiei's expression but the skepticism in his voice rang clear. "You keep saying I can't tolerate those."

"That's the beauty of it," I said. "At least you're face-down if you start throwing up."

"Whatever would I do without you?"

"I'll also give you a mild tranquilizer." Hiei is violently allergic to almost all painkillers, as we discovered to our chagrin when he made his first dental visit. I custom-fit my drugs as much as possible, but dosing him is like crossing a tightrope in greased shoes. "Or maybe I should just give you something to improve your disposition."

"Which I don't need. How is that idiot woman?"

"More pleasant than you'll ever be." But only after I had cleaned, closed, and bound the wound, and given Hiei something to make him sleep, could I spare the time to glance up.

Shay-san's head was still resting on her knees.

I called to her softly: "Are you conscious?"

"Yes," she said, simultaneous with Hiei.

"I wasn't talking to you," I told him fondly, adding for Shay-san's benefit, "Come and see him. He should be fine."

Rising, Shayla Kidd made her wobbly way to Hiei's side and they latched hands. "Mnf," was all he said to her. His grip relaxed. He was already going under.

She case a worried glance at me. "His hands are cold."

"I know. All it means is that Hiei's using a lot of his own energy for healing."

"I'll turn the heater up, then."

We made Hiei as comfortable as we could, covering him, tilting the heater in his direction. Giving him a final once-over, I informed her, "He could sleep for hours. You might want to get some rest yourself."

She shook her head and settled back into the chair. "Hiei kept watch by my side the night we met. When El Chupacabra attacked. Here I stay."

"Then so will I." Lifting a folding chair from the corner, I placed it next to her and sat. "If we keep our voices down...." I took a deep breath. "Sorry I barked at you before."

"I live with _him._" She nodded toward Hiei. "That wasn't barking by my standards." She seemed to notice for the first time that she had a dust rag in her pocket, and took it in her hands, folding and refolding, in a soothing, repetitious action.

"We'll get the shooter," I vowed. "Sooner rather than later."

She licked her lips. "I need a drink. A big one. How about you?"

"Can't. I'm on duty."

The blinds were drawn, and the heater made the room almost stifling. The folding chair was uncomfortable, but I had sat in worse; still it looked like a longish vigil.

"Back then---" She continued to work on the dust cloth, unfolding and refolding it. "Back then, shortly before I met all of you, my uncle Paul was in the Pell Building on the outskirts of San Francisco."

I wondered where this was going, but nodded anyway.

"It was a cool day in early spring, and Paul had just finished a meeting with a film producer. He left the building with his attache full of contracts in one hand, and a coffee in the other." She shut her eyes briefly, then went on.

"There were steps leading from the vestibule of the building down to the parking lot, which was at street level, and the view of the lot was a little obscured by landscaping. He was just about to go down to his car."

Again she stopped. In the silence, I could hear Hiei's soft, even breathing.

"At first, Uncle Paul thought the sound he heard was just backfire. Then again: _pop-pop-pop_. Nest, something that he took for a big wasp went zinging past his ear. But it wasn't a wasp."

"Gunfire," I guessed.

"Paul pressed himself back against the door and out of the line of fire. Just as he was about to retreat into the building, he glanced down along the stairs into the parking lot. About fifteen feet from the foot of the stairs was a boy of maybe 12, crouched in front of a big blue Oldsmobile."

Even though I knew Shayla Kidd's Uncle Paul was still among the living, I felt a chill creep over me.

"Uncle Paul put down his attache and coffee and made a run for the kid, keeping low. He got there all right, but the kid was too scared to move. Uncle Paul tried coaxing him but maybe the kid didn't understand English.

"And then the shooter really opened fire on the cops. Before then, he was just trying to get their attention. In the exchange of gunfire, the Oldsmobile's windows were shattered. The glass sprayed my uncle and the kid."

I realized I had been holding my breath. "Were they---"

"Cut up some by the flying glass, yes. Then it was all over. Later an ambulance came and took the kid for treatment. Paul never got his name, never saw him again."

"And the one who started shooting?"

"Went out in the meat wagon, feet first."

"But who was he? Why did---"

"News reports said that his girl ran off with some guy who worked in the Pell. It made no sense."

I let out another long breath.

"Death by cop," she concluded, flicking the dust rag at a nonexistent spot on the chair.

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's becoming quite the thing in America. The instigator is usually male, in his twenties or thirties. Decides he wants to die, goes out looking for a cop, creates a situation where the cop has to take him down. Tough on the cop, believe it or not."

"I'm not quite following you."

"When I first met Hiei I thought he was a border guard. I kept calling him 'genkai no senshi---' 'soldier of the boundary.' At the time it was the best I could do, with my pitiful command of your language." She raised her eyes to meet mine. "But that's what Hiei is. A soldier of the boundary. A cop. How many demons have thrown themselves on his sword this week?"

"A few."

"They were looking for Hiei to take them down."

I considered her story. Were the demons working together? Was the shooter a partner of the oni killed earlier that day? And who was his target---Hiei or myself?

Anger is a useless weapon without focus. But a demon had shot my friend in the back, and would some day be receiving an unexpected bonus of cold rage.

"Hiei shoved me out of the line of fire." I spoke with regret. "Maybe if I had been equally quick he might not have---"

She gave me a melting smile and sighed. "You did a hero's work today. Can I get you some tea? Coffee?"

"The smell could wake him."

"Water, then. Or---" This was her take-no-prisoners voice. She got up and padded to the kitchen, returning with a basket that held a variety of bottles---leftovers from various Romantic Soldier endorsements. "These sports drinks taste like old gym shoes," she apologized, setting the basket at my feet. "But they'll restore your fluids and electrolytes."

"Sounds irresistible." I selected one of the less-vile flavors and handed her another. We toasted in silence.

Then it was my turn to leave the room. When I got back Shay-san was trying to work the kinks from her own shoulders, her teeth bared in a grimace of discomfort. The mounting tension of the day had taken its toll, and I was feeling it myself.

"Let me help you." I dug my fingers into her trapezius muscles.

"Ow. Did someone just stick a railroad spike into me?"

"Sorry." Her muscle knots are nothing tougher than muscle knots, and I said as much. "Now, Hiei's are like---" I cut myself off before I could say the word: bullets. "Iron," I finished lamely.

I couldn't even hear her breathe then.

"He'll be okay," I added. "This is just a blip on his radar screen. Hiei's taken worse damage than this and you know it; you've seen the Dark Tournament highlights."

"On tape you can't smell the blood."

"Touche."

Hiei slept on, and I kept my voice to a whisper. "Kuwabara-kun also encountered some demons this week," I told her. "The usual sort. But the one who shot Hiei looked human."

"Was he the ringleader?"

"Doubtful. Hiei thought he was a fool."

"Hiei thinks everyone is a fool."

"The demon had a one-handed grip on the gun."

She gave a snorting little chuckle. "My little Squirrel should find out who he is."

She had more faith in the jaki than did I. Hiei stirred then, murmuring, "Want another piece?"

She smiled. "He sounds so reasonable, doesn't he. I used to try answering him until I realized he was just talking in his sleep."

It was true. Hiei had talked in his sleep the first time I treated him. A single word: _Yukina_. And when I repeated the name to Hiei on his awakening, he threatened to kill me.

Evidently, despite already garnering a reputation on the demon plane, Hiei felt he had a lot to prove. Back then, I would not have laid odds on developing a friendship with this difficult, prideful, stubborn creature.

Yet we did seamlessly coordinate our attacks against the demon Yatsude. I suppose we were in accord even then.

"I'll want to have Dr. Smith look at him as soon as he's up and around."

"Why?" She frowned. "You just said he'd be okay."

"Just to make sure the shoulder's not broken. Hiei's bones may be strong, but they can and do break. Fortunately enough, his x-rays read quite normal, so it will be safe even if the technician gets a look, and Dr. Smith will run interference. It's his blood that's problematic; it may appear as red as any human's blood, but it tests differently; for one thing, his testosterone-analog level is off the charts, but interestingly enough, so is his estrogen---"

"You're as worried as I am."

I sighed. "This was the fourth demon in three days, and they weren't after Kuwabara. Fifth, if you count the shooter."

The doorbell rang. We exchanged somewhat puzzled glances. "It wouldn't be your mother," Shay san murmured. "Who---"

"Whoever it is, I'll send him away." Leaving Shay-san with Hiei, I went to answer the door.

Standing on the front step, bristling with impatience, were Urameshi Yuusuke and Kuwabara Kazuma. Yuusuke wore a t-shirt and jeans, while Kuwabara ignored the warm weather by means of a green baseball jacket. Both should have been busy with high school, but that had never stopped Yuusuke before. "We understand there's a party going on," began Yuusuke. They pushed past me to kick their shoes off in the _genkan_.

"And you didn't even invite us," lamented Kuwabara.

"Our feelings have been crushed," added Yuusuke.

"The comedy team of Hither and Yon," I said dryly, but I was heartened to see them.

Yuusuke cracked his knuckles. "Hiei's okay, right? So let's get ready to rumble!"

"I---"

Kuwabara treated me to a wide grin. "We just want in on the action. That too much to ask?"

"Keep your voices down, please," I cautioned them. "There's a sick man in this house."

And I heard Hiei's voice behind me. "Sick? Who's sick? I took a bullet. There's a difference."

Hiei. He had dragged himself off the massage table and now stood with his legs braced apart and one hand braced on the wall, shaky but determined.

Behind him Shay-san shrugged, then rolled her eyes.

Hiei regarded Kuwabara and Yuusuke. "Who told you anyway?" he demanded.

"A little birdie," grinned Yuusuke.

"With a prehensile tail and an appetite for peanuts," I surmised.

Shay-san clasped her hands in an ecstasy of pride. "How sweet! My little Squirrel went to get help!"

"Yeah," said Yuusuke. "He's a regular Lassie."

"Well?" Kuwabara glanced around the hall as if to tackle the perp then and there. "When do we start? What's the battle plan?"

"There is none." Hiei folded his arms, then thought better of it and steadied himself against the wall once more.

"There's gotta be," Kuwabara said. "After all Hiei, you called me."

"My bullet, my fight," Hiei said stubbornly.

"Oh, yeah?" Kuwabara planted his hands on his hips and glowered down at Hiei. "Some of those demons came after _me!_"

"By mistake," Hiei corrected him.

"That makes it my fight, too, Shorty!" Kuwabara thumped his chest for emphasis.

"Why?" Hiei arched an eyebrow at him. "Just because some stupid D-class nonentity got careless and mistook you for someone who could really give it a fight?"

"Guess he _is_ all right," Yuusuke snickered. "He's back to being rude."

Hiei opened his mouth to respond.

I knew how Hiei could get. And I didn't want him up on his hind legs, arguing with his friends until he re-opened the wound. "I have to cut this short," I told Yuusuke and Kuwabara, putting myself between them and Hiei. "Doctor's orders."

Yuusuke stuck his nose in the air. "Now I really feel left out. Imagine mistaking Kuwabara for Hiei! At least I have the same hair color."

Kuwabara mirrored Yuusuke's posture. "And when a buddy begs a guy for help---"

"For information," snapped Hiei. "And I don't beg."

"Do you want Hiei to start bleeding again?" I stepped closer to Yuusuke. "All over Shay-san's nice clean floor?"

"Oh, like that's anything new," said Yuusuke.

But after a brief show of defiance, they did make their somewhat grudging retreat, muttering to one another as they put their shoes back on and slunk out the door.

I personally escorted them. When they reached the walkway, however, they turned.

Yuusuke cupped his hands around his mouth. "Can't stop us from patrolling the neighborhood!" he shouted.

"Yeah!" added Kuwabara, "Or spyin' on ya!" With a dual wave, they strolled off, young irreverent, and loyal to the core.

"Have a blast," muttered Hiei, hobbling toward the stairs. "Time to get the kids back here, woman. Now where's a real bed?"

I replied before Shay-san could so much as draw a breath. "Nowhere, unless I carry you up."

Hiei's hand was already clamped on the banister and his gaze clamped on me, faintly challenging. "I'd like to see you try."

I gave him an icy look. "I'd succeed."

Hiei lifted his lip.

_Still such a lot to prove, this one_. I was gambling, true, but a bigger risk was Hiei opening up the wound. "I am not letting you ruin my handiwork," I insisted.

"Why don't I put more blankets on the massage table?" Shay-san hastily cut in. "The beds could do without bloodstains, even the old bed in the guest room."

"And I'll lower the table so you can get in and out on your own," I added.

To my surprise, Hiei shrugged, then shuffled back toward the guest room. "Outnumbered, I see."

Hiei may be stubborn but he is hardly suicidal.

Suicide by cop. Shay-san could be right about the motive of those demons. Or, like me, perhaps they were curious about---

Sometimes I think Hiei uses the Jagan unconsciously and reads my thoughts. As I lowered the height of the massage table, he regarded me steadily. "They want to see _Tenchi no Hi_? I'll oblige them."

_Tenchi no Hi_: The Flame of Heaven and Earth. It was the first time I had heard the sword's name.

A named sword. Hiei doesn't name his katana; he is not a character in an epic fantasy and this isn't Valhalla. And I have spent long hours listening to his numerous complaints regarding their quality:

("You and your plants have got an endless array of attacks, Kurama. All I have are these useless pieces of steel that can't even stand up to carving a pork roast.")

Hardly what I'd call an accurate description of Hiei's powers, but--- "Hiei, is this wise?"

"Kurama." He looked, and sounded, as though he could not keep his eyes open one minute longer. "You know the drill. Word got out. I have a new sword. They don't know what it is, but they want to know what it does. They'll keep trying to goad me into using it, and one of these days some demon'll go after Kaasan, or my woman, or my kids. I'm just cutting the process short."

"I hate it when you're right about these things."

Hiei's only response was a grunt. Closing his eyes, he lay down on the massage table and drifted back to sleep.

Shay-san sank into the armchair, and put her head in her hands. "I knew this was coming sooner or later," she breathed. "But we've only been back from Rome for two weeks."

"You've seen it? This sword?"

She looked up at me. "_Tenchi no Hi?_ More or less."

Burning with curiosity, I asked, "What does the sword do?"

She was a long time answering, busying herself once more with the dust rag, paying out the edge-stitching as though counting Rosary beads.

I heard the tick of Hiei's deep, even breathing, the faint hum of the gooseneck reading lamp, and at last, the sound of her soft little American voice:

"Kurama---You don't want to know."

(To Be Continued: Who is the mystery man trying to force Hiei into using his new weapon?)

-30-


	4. DBH C4: Stool Pigeon

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters portrayed in this work. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular sidefic occurs a bit later on.

Title: Death by Hiei C4: Stool Pigeon

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: T

Summary: A little birdie tells them.

A/N: I'm a little slow with updates just now, but see my accompanying sketches on LJ. As always, thanks for reading and please review! ^^

"Look out behind you!"

Death by Hiei (C4: Stool Pigeon)

by

Kenshin

Much to my surprise, Shay-san was right about the jaki she had named Squirrel.

One day after Dr. Smith assured Hiei there were no broken bones and no other bullets lodged in him (and had complimented me on a job well done), the little gray creature came to us with information.

The twins safely in cram school, we sat in the yard, the jaki perched on the picnic table, the center of our attention.

While it gobbled a handful of peanuts, scattering shells everywhere, I waited impatiently. At last it told us.

It had not met with the mystery enemy himself, but had spoken to another jaki who was a confederate of the enemy.

Though the stool pigeon did not know his superior's name, or would not reveal it, the enemy wanted to battle Hiei, and had named a time and place: the park, tomorrow, noon.

Hiei countered with Arizona, next year, Easter, as exquisite an insult as I have ever heard him render.

While Shay-san nearly swooned with pride over its accomplishments, her little pet jaki scuttled off to relay this information, then returned with an equally outlandish offer.

The negotiations went back and forth thus for some time. But before Michael and Cecilia returned home, it was settled: the following week, in the land around Genkai's temple. The other jaki would lead us to the actual meeting place.

I disliked the fact that I had been unable to capture the gray-skinned demon and bring him to Shay-san for interrogation. I disliked even more that we still did not know who the enemy was, though I had my suspicions.

"Someone big," the pet jaki said, sitting inside a nearly empty can of red bean paste, licking the stuff from its fingers. "That one who will lead you said, really strong. Scary aura."

"Well." Hiei upended the jaki from the can, whereupon it sneezed, then sat on the picnic table vigorously grooming itself like a cat. "That narrows things down."

I managed a smile. "At least we know it's not 'The Beautiful Suzuki.'"

The day of the battle dawned gray and cold when I arrived at their house. Shay-san called for a cab, and, speaking English so we could freely converse, we rode to Genkai's.

Hiei sat silent in the middle. "I get why Hiei's letting _me_ come along," I mused, "but why you?"

My sister-become spoke across Hiei as though he wasn't there. "So I can help you field-dress the corpse."

A little gallows humor always leavens the mood.

I had on a thick flannel shirt and quilted vest over a pair of jeans, while Shay-san wore camouflage slacks and a short battle jacket. If you looked hard enough you could see her holster printing a bit against the jacket, but only if you were really observant.

As for me, I had my hair loaded.

But Hiei was unarmed, as far as I could tell, clad only in a sleeveless black shirt and loose black trousers. He wasn't even wearing his usual katana. And where was _Tenchi no Hi?_

The day before, Hiei had taken me aside to hand me a pair of what looked like old-fashioned driving goggles: clumsy, primitive, with thick red lenses. "What's this for?"

In reply he shoved a pair of ear plugs at me. "I'm counting on you to get my woman out of there once I call my attack."

Today, Hiei seemed to be in a world of his own. He sat gazing at the passing scenery, and I sensed in him not an ounce of eagerness or bloodlust, but rather weariness and resignation.

The cab dropped us at the main road, and we walked to a grassy stretch at the edge of the forest to await our guide.

The sky formed a thick ceiling of unrelieved dimness, under which Genkai's temple lay to the south; the forest north. As I studied our surroundings, I believed that I had correctly surmised the identity of our enemy. I hoped I was wrong.

Genkai had informed us beforehand that she wanted nothing to do with this fight, but had graciously added that she would call the meat wagon to haul our carcasses away.

A flicker of movement caught my attention. Materializing upon a branch before us, the stool pigeon--a red-hued jaki, looking much like a miniature oni---made its appearance. "Through the trees," it said, in a gravelled voice quite out of place for such a small body. Then it capered off ahead of us.

Shrugging, we followed onto a path so narrow it would not allow us to walk abreast. As we scraped our way through heavy undergrowth, our passage caused the tang of pine needles to mingle with the smell of leaf mould. Every now and then the creature halted on a branch to make sure we kept pace.

Hiei had admitted to some stiffness in his sword arm. Translated into 'Normal,' that meant his arm hurt. A lot.

He had nonetheless insisted on taking the point, and I put Shay-san in front of me, so I could keep an eye on them both. Hiei did indeed move like a man feeling pain.

And we were in need of our guide. At several points, the path diverged to either side, but the jaki showed us the way along the ever-narrowing path.

Even on a sunlit day, little illumination would penetrate this part of the trail. I was glad of my heavy garb. With the rising dark of the trees came a chill, a portent of the early onset of winter.

Darkness lay on my heart as well. Perhaps it was the oppressive atmosphere of the trees that made me wonder whether we were on a death march.

I was not alone in this perception. Shayla Kidd hurried along, head down, hands thrust in pockets, as someone wary of doom but wanting to get it over with quickly.

After some 30 minutes vigorous hiking, the jaki stopped on a branch high in a gold-leafed maple, and peered down at us.

It licked its lips nervously, darting glances all about. "This is as far as I go." It jerked its head at the path before us. "Clearing's just a few paces that way." Then it turned and dashed back, as if all Hell was on its tail.

This did not serve to leaven the mood.

The path narrowed further, but neither diverged nor gave out. We found our way easily enough to the end of the trail, then paused for an assessment.

Genkai's territory covers a vast area, with all sorts of terrain: mountains and swampland, field and forest. Just before us, a large clearing in the trees, easily the size of a baseball diamond, formed a sort of natural amphitheater.

With a sandy pit at its center, the area looked as though the trees had either been bulldozed away for a building site, or blown away, whether by comet or other artifice we could not tell.

Reluctantly leaving the concealment of trees, we approached the clearing. Hiei stopped, jerked his head to the left. At the narrow end of the 'diamond' lay a nearby boulder jutting some fifteen feet in height and of roughly conical shape. Not quite flat-topped, it came to a gray-brown blunted point, but on the side that faced the forest, the boulder featured a sort of ledge just five feet from its pointed top.

It would provide us with some cover. I nodded.

While Hiei marched forward into the arena, his footsteps crackling on the sand, I helped Shay-san negotiate the boulder. She is only an inch or two shorter than Hiei, but weighs practically nothing compared to his muscular solidity.

Crouched on the boulder's platform, facing the arena, we had a good view of the trees rearing all round, almost as if they were sentinels---or stadium seating for spectators.

Stadium seating. The Dark Tournament, too, had stadium seating.

Hiei reached the middle of the arena and stopped, whereupon I felt a gust---not of wind, but aura.

"That---that---" Shay-san nudged my arm. "What is it?"

Baring my teeth in distaste, I said, "He's coming."

She shivered. "I don't like this one bit."

On the far side of the arena, the trees also shivered, as though in pain, then parted. I saw Hiei's challenger emerge from their shelter and caught my breath. I had been correct.

The challenger strode forward a few feet and stopped, as if to allow us to admire him.

He had discarded his fantastical, heavy armor for a flotilla of paper sutras, their ragged edges fluttering in the movement of his ki. So that was how he was able to conceal his presence until now! But this close, there was no mistaking that particular fighting aura---an aura so powerful it could lift him up from the ground as though he were riding on air.

Such audacity---making camp so close to Genkai's temple. I turned, about to explain who the newcomer was. But Shay-san surprised me.

"Bui," she whispered.

"I forget. You watched the Dark Tournament tapes."

"Has he been in the human world all this time?" she wondered. "Or did someone open a hole in the barrier?"

I wondered the same thing.

We looked upon a demon of human aspect, like the gunman in the park---but there, all resemblance ended. Hiei could probably have dismantled the gunman in his sleep. Bui was no thug, but a true powerhouse, capable of felling any but the strongest demons.

Bui peeled away some of the sutras wrapping his head, revealing saturnine features, with that odd, almost heraldic scar on his brow. The heavy build, barely concealed by the sutras, the ragged white hair waving back from the broad forehead, and that blue-hot ki that was even now struggling to burst free of the wards, all combined to catapult me back, if only in spirit, to the Dark Tournament.

Bui---the only survivor of Team Toguro. Able to manifest from his own aura a deadly enormous ax, the blade of which dwarfed Hiei himself, Bui yet fell to Hiei, who barely managed the win.

Bui and Hiei regarded one another from a distance of 30 yards. Both fighters had changed since the Dark Tournament.

At the tournament, Hiei had reveled in his power, issuing a gleeful challenge to Bui, who had matched Hiei measure for measure---but for the sheer, awe-inspiring might of the Black Dragon Wave.

I could sense none of that awe-inspiring might emanating from Hiei now. Was he simply masking it, or had he none to spare?

And following his defeat at Hiei's hands, Bui had begged for death. Hiei had refused. Perhaps back then, Hiei had felt the first minute seeds of mercy stirring in his heart, and had sought to trample them with this cavalier dismissal: "If you want to die," he'd told Bui, "do it on your own."

Now, Hiei seemed tired, reluctant, far from the man who had destroyed half the Dark Tournament stadium.

As for Bui---

Shay-san spoke in a whisper. "He's not letting Hiei walk away unscathed."

"Bui," Hiei said, and in true amphitheater fashion, his voice carried, almost as though he spoke into our very ears. "Can't you find anything better to do?"

"It's not as though you had other plans for something worthwhile." Bui's voice was a deep rumble, yet his delivery was cultured, even his insults bestowed in the politest of terms. As he peeled away the paper sutras covering his arms and legs and torso, his aura flared. I flung up an arm to shield myself, while Shay-san gave a little cough, as if something unpleasant was stuck in her throat.

About Bui was the oppressive sense of thunder, the odor of flint, signaling the coming storm. "This is bad," I whispered. "Bui's grown even more powerful since the Tournament."

Bui held on to the last sutra for a moment, then opened his fingers to release it. The wind sent it flying past Hiei.

"And now you are here," Bui said, "and now we can finish."

Hiei shook his head. "We settled this years ago."

"Settled? It was never settled." Bui flexed his large hands into fists and bared his teeth in a grimace of scorn. "Not to my satisfaction. There's no committee now, no referee to interfere, nothing but the two of us, head-to-head, in a battle to the death."

"But I don't care to waste time and energy on that."

"Perhaps I can make you care." Bui lifted his head. He stared straight at us, the gaze from his narrow eyes boring through rock. I now realized any attempt to conceal myself or Shay-san would prove fruitless. "Do you think I can't tell who's making a pitiful attempt to hide up there?"

Hiei lifted his lip. "_She_ could take you without even trying. Why should I?"

Bui's battle aura flared around him like a small sun, lifting him half a foot from the ground; Hiei's aura remained low, static, dampened. "I believe I sense a touch of disrespect in your answer," warned Bui.

"That's just the way I am," countered Hiei "You're the last man standing from Team Toguro. Isn't that achievement enough? Let it go."

Even as Hiei spoke, I knew Bui would not 'let it go.' "You were right," I whispered to my companion. _Death by cop._

Sometimes, the achievement of the last man standing is worse than falling in battle; survivor's guilt is a bitter pill for a warrior to choke down.

Shay-san got out her goggles, placed them on her head. "What are they for anyway?" I pressed her.

"Just in case you don't want to be blinded."

"Good point." The goggles went up on my head as well, the earplugs in a pocket, but I did not yet employ either.

"Uh-oh," announced Shay-san. "We've got company."

I flicked my gaze away from Hiei and Bui, then got to my feet---putting myself between her and the newcomer.

It was the gunman.

With her stronger sixth sense, Shay-san had detected him moments before I did. As before, the gray-skinned demon had a one-handed bead on us. "I see him." He was easy to recognize, even apart from the gray skin: the brush-cut green hair, the back-slanting ears, the smug grin as he thought to hide himself in a pine tree some 20 feet away. "At twelve o'clock, in the fifth branch of that---"

"I see Hiei's popular today." Shayla Kidd had her own gun trained on the demon, in a two-handed grip. "Is there any way, from this distance, you can get me that gun?"

A flick of the Rose Whip, and before the _youkai_ could even react, I deposited his gun in her hand. "You mean this one?"

"Thanks." She looked it over, gave her own version of the Hiei snort. "Saturday night special." Voice dripping scorn, she shoved the gun into her belt. "I can't question him from here."

I had the Thrashvine out and around the gunman as the word 'question' emerged. The astounded demon landed in front of us, stuttering in shock.

"I don't like you," I told him. "You remind me of Roto."

"No time for old home week." Holstering her own gun, Shayla Kidd snarled, "The demon in front of me! You will answer my questions at once!"

He gave a cry of dismay, tried to twist his head away from the trained command of the Spellcaster. It did no good; he would have had to stop his ears to stop her powers.

"Why did you shoot Hiei? Who do you work for? And who broke the barrier between worlds?"

He looked as though he didn't know what hit him. "I work for Master Bui, but as far as I know, no barrier was broken."

"So," I mused, "Bui remained in the human world ever since the tournament?"

She repeated my question; the demon nodded. "He said it would amuse him to fight here, on Genkai's land."

"Satisfy my curiosity." Shay-san's voice was a silver needle meant for the demon alone. "In the park, when you fired your gun. Whom did you intend to hit---Hiei or Kurama?"

The minion's face was sullen.

"Did Bui send you to shoot Hiei? Tell me!"

"No!" replied the demon. "Bui only said to---just to scare him, get his attention. But if Master wanted to fight Hiei, then if I clipped him, it would give Bui the advantage!"

"Trigger-happy into the bargain." She shook her head in disgust. "What are Bui's other plans?"

Down below, in the sandy arena, Hiei and Bui faced one another. They could have been statues---if not for that ferocious ki emanating from Bui.

"T-to battle Hiei! That's all I know!" The demon's gray skin glistened with sweat. "I swear it!

Shayla Kidd turned toward me, her wide gray eyes almost transparent. Reading what was in them, I think at that moment we became of one mind.

"Let me go." The gunman squeezed his eyes shut. "Please! Let me stand with my master."

I tightened the Thrashvine. "I'd much rather turn you into toothpaste." Then I lowered my voice to a near-whisper. "I should do it---in exchange for this one putting a bullet into my dearest friend."

She slanted me a look. "I don't believe he's even worth the tiny amount of aura it would cost you."

I sighed. "Women." Retracting the Thrashvine, I released the gray-skinned demon. He scrambled down from the boulder.

Hiei paid him no more heed than he would a rat. Neither did Bui. I studied him for a moment.

"When someone is beaten but not killed," I whispered, "One of two things can happen."

"Such as?" Shay-san kept an eye on the combatants as well.

"Hiei---when Yuusuke defeated him in that warehouse, Hiei learned humility. It tempered him, made him a better person, even a stronger fighter in the end."

"And the second thing?"

"The loser can nurse bitterness, feed on darkness."

"Like Bui," she agreed. We understood one another in more than just the matter of releasing Bui's errant minion.

Down in the arena, Bui clenched his fists, drew his head back, then fired up his ki, levitating a couple of feet from the ground. And still I sensed no bloodlust, no power, emanating from Hiei.

"Hiei is---" I began.

"Exhausted," she whispered. "I can sense it from here."

"Go home, Bui," Hiei sighed. "You're a strong fighter; return to the demon plane and build yourself an empire or collect an army or whatever it is your kind does to pass the time. Go home." Turning his back on Bui, Hiei headed for the boulder.

"I have a bad feeling about this," hissed Shay-san.

Bui did not look like he was about to thumb a ride to Makai. His lips drew back from his teeth in rage. His battle aura flared. He lifted one hand.

In his hand materialized the giant ax, its wicked heft gleaming with a dull, deadly luster. He cocked his massive arm to throw the ax, then let fly.

Before I could open my own mouth, Shay-san popped up and shouted a warning: "Hiei! Behind you!"

-30-

(To be continued: Can a weakened, exhausted Hiei avoid Bui's attack?)


	5. DBH C5: Terrible Swift Sword

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters in this work. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular sidefic occurs a few years later.

Title: Death by Hiei C5: Terrible Swift Sword

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: M/T (See my Profile for explanation)

Summary: Kurama might finally get what he wants---but there's a price tag attached.

A/N: At the Dark Tournament, Koto appeared to be quite taken with Bui, complimenting him on his smooth voice, but here we see why he was such a formidable opponent. My accompanying sketches are up on LJ, and as always, thanks for reading---please review! ^^

Duck, and cover!

Death by Hiei (C5: Terrible Swift Sword)

by

Kenshin

Bui's ax was a fearsome weapon. Yet despite its razor- edged blade, five-foot handle, and length of heavy chain---Hiei had stopped it multiple times at the Dark Tournament, without even blinking.

But now---

Even as Shay-san's warning echoed off the hills, the ax came whistling at us, spinning like a discus.

Below us, a little to the left of our boulder, the gunman froze in fear.

"Get down!" I pushed Shay-san flat against the rock-ledge.

Turning, Hiei leapt into the air, made a grab for the ax, came up short.

And Bui's massive ax hurtled toward its target.

The amphitheater effect of the arena had carried the sound of Hiei's and Bui's voices to us---but it had also, as I'd guessed, acted to carry some of our words to them.

The gunman didn't have time to dodge. The ax struck, neatly slicing him in two, as though he was a lemon.

Shay-san gave me a startled glance. "Is it---"

"Don't look," I warned, but Shay-san stuck her head around for a glimpse. When she flopped back down at my side, her expression was frozen, her complexion tinged with that same peculiar shade of green it had taken on back in the makeshift operating theater.

"Told you not to look."

Hiei stopped in mid-stride. Inch by inch, he cranked himself around again to face Bui. "Your own man?"

"He was a fool," said Bui. "I never wanted to fight you at anything less than a hundred percent."

Hiei folded his arms. "So it was you who sent those low-level demons after me."

"Evidently they didn't rate the use of your new weapon." With a grim smile, Bui materialized another ax. "I'll just have to find out about it here and now."

"Stay down," I hissed in Shay-san's ear.

Nevertheless she wriggled free of my restraining hand to inch forward and peer at the battlefield.

Women never listen to me.

"Your minion," said Hiei. "What you mentioned just now is true. Thanks to his itchy trigger finger, I caught a slug."

Bui's grim smile turned to a puzzled frown. "So I heard. What's your point?"

Hiei unfolded his arms, spread out his hands. "I'm saying that in my current physical condition---there's no way I can defeat you."

I gasped.

"What's more," Hiei went on, "I won't be able to shoot the Dragon either."

"Then why are you smiling like that?" Bui countered.

Hiei may have been smiling for all I knew. But gone was his Dark Tournament smirk, as well as its accompanying swagger.

Perhaps this was due to the significant personal changes Hiei had undergone since our first meeting. However, giving up on a fight, virtually conceding beforehand---this was unlike any Hiei I knew, past, present, or future.

And Shayla Kidd is no fool. She had drawn similar conclusions, judging by the way her knuckles whitened on the rock. "It's premature to count Hiei out," I told her, mostly to comfort her and convince myself.

"Bui!" Hiei said. "You've obviously spent your time training. I can sense it. But I've had some spare time, too, and I've learned a bit of philosophy. Live by the sword, die by the sword. One day I will fall in battle. But that day is not today."

"Why, you---!" Bui was clearly incensed, his teeth clenched, the purple scar livid against his pale brow. "All you have to do is fight me, not pontificate!"

Hiei did not respond. Both fighters showed resignation. Whose resolve would prove the stronger?

Bui's aura may have been more powerful than Hiei's, but his body language---the slight hunching of the shoulders, the tension in his legs---spoke of desperation, which could prove far more deadly than any cool-headed battle strategy.

Hiei's body language, for all that I knew him well, was harder to read. He said nothing, did nothing.

However, Bui fired up his aura so he again rose and hovered above the ground. "Fight me!" Quick as electricity, he hit the ground, dashed forward, and attacked, going for Hiei with pure martial arts, a cluster of spinning kicks and straight-arm punches, and though Hiei tried to avoid the attacks, many a blow connected.

And Hiei gave way.

At my side, Shay-san gave a little cry.

As Bui advanced, Hiei backed up, moving away from us, his breathing heavy, his words coming in gasps. "You haven't ... lost a step, Bui. Maybe even gained ... some."

Hiei was facing us now, but our view was partially blocked by Bui's huge back. Then we saw Hiei. We saw him because he had turned, and was running toward the trees.

_Bailing on a fight? Impossible!_

Yet that is what Hiei did. He fled.

"Coward." Bui did not pursue him. "I would have expected no less from a traitor like you, living in the human world."

Panting, Hiei stopped, close to the treeline directly across from us. He wiped blood from his mouth with a forearm, turned his head, spat. "Interesting exercise," he wheezed, "but you have nothing to prove. Why not head for the showers?"

_Nothing to prove. Interesting choice of words._

Bui wasn't even breathing hard. "As soon as I have _your_ head on a pike."

Hiei snorted.

"Again you mock me." Bui's fists clenched. "And Urameshi Yuusuke robbed me of the chance to fight Toguro again."

"Then you should challenge him, not me. Want me to phone Urameshi for you?"

"But it's you who did not respect me enough to finish me off, so you do see my point."

"Not really."

Bitterness twisted the air between them. Bui had only suffered defeat twice---once by Younger Toguro, once by Hiei. Both men had spared him.

"Look," Hiei went on. "I don't have the stamina to run around all day. This is your final warning."

"If you won't attack then at least defend yourself! You've been making mincemeat out of lower demons. If you're afraid to face a high-level one, then this high-level demon doesn't mind adding an incentive." With that, Bui materialized another ax, whirled around, and flung it straight at us.

This time, there was no minion to get in the way. Shay-san and I both dove, flattening ourselves on the ledge of the boulder. This time, ax struck rock, neatly slicing off the boulder's tip, missing us by inches.

"That could have been our heads!" Shay-san exclaimed, as the massive ax sailed on to decimate the woods.

"Next time, it will be," Bui assured us.

I risked another look at the battlefield. "You had to pull that trick, didn't you?" sighed Hiei. "All right, Bui. If that's the way you want to play it." His feet slid a little apart.

_Here it comes_, I thought. _Hiei's new attack!_

But all Hiei said was, "I am authorized to bust you to Koenma for invading the human world. He'll deport you to Makai."

"Soldier of the boundary," whispered Shay-san. 'Back when I met Hiei,' she had said, 'that's what I called him.'

Soldier of the boundary. Cop.

"Don't you mock me again!" snapped Bui.

Hiei shrugged. "Or we can do this the hard way."

A change came over Bui. I would almost have called it a sense of peace, of satisfaction. "At last, you're taking this seriously." Bui materialized another ax.

"Fine," said Hiei. "Then I'll give you what you've been begging for. But don't say I didn't warn you."

In a quite leisurely fashion, his back to the treeline, Hiei made his stand. A gust of wind ripped at his hair and sleeked his shirt. Still I felt no rise in his battle power.

In silence, Hiei raised his sword arm---his Dragon arm, with its long black gauntlet. His fingers extended. His gaze never left Bui. He made no other move, made not a sound. Just that upraised arm, as though he were about to referee a foot race.

_Is that it?_ I thought, _That's all there is to the new attack?_ I could admit to a sense of disappointment. Was this new attack, then, nothing more than a variation of the Dragon?

Yet Hiei had not peeled his gauntlet. And he'd just admitted he could not shoot the Dragon.

"It's coming." Shay-san got into a crouch, neatly tucking the plugs into her ears, then tugging my vest. "Get ready."

But I did not put in my ear plugs. Not yet.

There was something the matter with the air. No rise in Hiei's battle power was causing this... thickening, this gathering of clouds, though the sky was already a flat unyielding gray. The wind brought the scent of danger, riding on a hint of music that spoke of white fire.

Unable to rein in my curiosity, I stretched over the part of the rock that had been sliced flat, to get a better view.

Hiei had not moved, nor Bui. The wind howled, and the sky darkened to cold iron

Close to Hiei's upraised hand came a flash of greenish light that did not quite blind me, but burned its afterimage into my vision in a long red-orange slash. I blinked.

In Hiei's hand---

A sword.

It was not a Japanese sword. No katana, this weapon, but of Western design, straight rather than curved, roughly the same length as Hiei's usual sword, but easily twice the thickness.

The sword's gleam hinted at a construction of pure platinum. Both handguard and pommel were far more elaborate than a Japanese sword's: scrolled and filigreed, fashioned of the same material as the blade. The blade itself swelled to a greater thickness just before tapering to the rather blunt-looking point.

Its name was inscribed along the blade in razor lines of green: _Tenchi no Hi_, Flame of Heaven and Earth.

"G-get us out of here." Shay-san's teeth were chattering, yet still I hesitated.

Bui laughed. "Is that all you've got? Another sword?"

How could Bui not feel this danger? There is enough demon in me, in this Youko-Minamino fusion, to be slightly sickened by the power that was growing, gathering itself to the sword. I am human enough to tolerate Holy Water with impunity, and the touch of a Rosary holds no terrors for me, but this---

"Very well, then---ax versus sword!" Bui pointed the ax at Hiei. "And don't dare take this lightly!" He charged, his battle aura glowing around him, footsteps skimming the sand like he was Mercury himself.

At the Tournament, Hiei had managed to turn Bui's own power against him. But as Bui speed-skated toward him, a replay of that feat seemed impossible.

Hiei made no attempt to dodge the attack, nor to launch one of his own. He simply stood sword on high, waiting.

Shayla Kidd grabbed my arm, hard. "Goggles!"

"Right." This time I also jammed in the earplugs. I wanted to see the attack, but I had given Hiei my word that I would get Shay-san to safety. Crouching, I signaled her to climb aboard, then gathered myself to spring from the rock.

But curiosity got the better of me.

At the last minute, like Lot's wife, I looked back. I didn't quite turn into a pillar of salt.

Bui's impressive charge carried him toward Hiei, ax parallel to earth, swinging in great horizontal arcs that promised to cleave Hiei in twain, torso from legs. Yet Hiei continued standing perfectly still. Bui was forty feet away, twenty.

And though Hiei made no move, something changed. A tiny spark of white flame appeared, danced at the tip of Hiei's sword, then rapidly expanded until it became beating wings of fire.

Trembling, Shay-san pressed her head against my back. I knew she was thinking: _Get out of here---now!_

Hiei's voice rang through the arena: "Sword of the Archangel!"

And in a swath of white fire, Hiei swung the sword in an arc of its own, to thrust the blade---not into Bui, but the ground at his own feet.

I thought I heard the faint singing of crystalline voices.

Then, a blast of thunder. A dome of Holy Fire appeared where sword struck earth.

_Of course. Hiei's motif is fire. Fire is light. He can see Holy Fire---he's mastered its use?_

The wind reached hurricane force. The sky turned to slate-tinted ice. The bubble of Holy Fire ballooned to 20 feet in diameter, glowing, iridescent, a 'pearl of great price.'

Its hidden power, barely leashed, raised gooseflesh all over my body. Still gripping me, Shay-san trembled like a leaf.

Bui was upon him, Hiei encased in the bubble when he released its power.

The explosion blew the plugs from my ears and tumbled us down the slanting face of the rock. I could not right myself, could not find my balance, could not resist gravity.

We fell.

Something slammed me amidships, turned me, knocked Shay-san loose; but I felt her clutch my sleeves and I managed to get a grip on one of her wrists. Still we flew, skidded along dirt and branches and rocks and finally rammed into something solid, I knew not where or what, driven by the force of Hiei's attack.

For a moment I couldn't tell whether I was alive or dead. Then pain gave rise to common sense: _If I'm dead, my ribs wouldn't hurt_.

When sight and hearing are scrambled, smell and touch are amplified. I felt the warmth of a body close to mine; the resin scent of pine needles was everywhere...

...and then someone removed the scorched goggles from my face, lifted my chin, and I could see, though just barely.

Shay-san's face was scratched and bruised, but she was alive. My eyes stung, burned, watered; I raised myself on one elbow to look all round.

We had fetched up against a towering pine, somewhere off the forest trail. The needles it had shed over the years formed a deep soft carpet that, thankfully, cushioned our fall.

She knelt before me and I peered at her, unable to hear for the thunder in my ears, but I was able to read Shayla Kidd's moving lips:

--Can you see well enough to get to him?

Hiei! Of course---Shay-san was not strong enough to carry him away in the best of times, and she was cradling her left wrist as if it hurt.

"Are you all right?" I had no idea whether I shouted or whispered.

She nodded, far too vigorously.

I got painfully to my feet. The wind had died, and the air felt dry. If birds were singing, I could not hear them.

Even knowing she was not all right, I had to complete my mission.

I left her huddled against the tree and picked my dizzy way through the forest trail to the battlefield, not knowing what I would find.

At last the trees parted to reveal the arena. I paused, hoping that what I feared had not come to pass.

The sand was still there. But at the far end of the arena lay a lone black spot.

_So I can help you field-dress the corpse,_ she'd said.

I shut my watery eyes a moment.

I had known Hiei was in poor shape, known Bui powerful and desperate. But I had never really believed, until now, that Hiei would win the battle---and lose his life: Karasu, but this time the wrong man fell.

You may leave the Dark Tournament, but it never leaves you.

Heart sinking, I made for the black spot. My own footsteps mocked me: _Live by the sword, die by the sword_.

I would not think about what it might mean---not just yet. But I had to retrieve him, no matter what.

The trees closest to the fight had been blown back, leaning now like weary strap-hangers. Miraculous that any trees were standing at all.

Still unable to see well, and with great trepidation, I reached the black area on the ground, then held my breath to examine what lay there.

Hiei. How small he looked, crumpled in a heap in the middle of what appeared to be a black lake 10 feet in diameter.

He was still breathing.

I slumped in relief. The sky had lightened to pale gray; the air was warming. Now to take him with me.

Even if my vision had been clear, it would have been a slippery job, for this was no pool of water, but as I discovered, a disk of black glass. And slick as it was, it was also hot, as though still molten. I inched my way across its surface, heat rising even through the soles of my hiking boots. After many anxious moments, I knelt at Hiei's side.

Some of his garments had been shredded in the blast, but apart from a slight reddening of his exposed skin, he appeared unhurt, though his breathing seemed a bit fast. With his eyes shut, head turned to one side, he looked almost tranquil.

Now I understood his plan, and gave silent thanks.

Hiei had not been running away from Bui. He had been drawing him as far from our boulder as possible.

I glanced about. The strike zone was circular---rather like the form in which Yukina could use her ice attacks. I wondered whether this pattern was inherent in the sword itself, or if it was simply a factor of Hiei's Kourime heritage.

Not a trace of Bui remained---nor his bisected minion. And of the Flame of Heaven and Earth there was no sign either.

I spoke to Hiei, though I knew he couldn't hear me. "I suppose one of these days I'll find out where you kept it."

Sliding one hand beneath his shoulders and another beneath his knees, I attempted to rise.

I had expected to feel Hiei's usual solidity, but I was shocked: he was all but weightless. Overbalancing, I fell to one knee on the slippery lake of glass, still uncomfortably warm.

What sort of magic could cause this change?

I tried to lift him again, and almost fell a second time. Hiei may be heavy, but not _this_ heavy. Someone or something was playing havoc upon the laws of physics.

I could barely lift him at all, let alone stand. Was some peculiarity of the strike zone itself making me weak, human-demon fusion that I am?

I shot a watery glance far back at the pine tree where Shay-san waited. How on earth would I lug Hiei there if I couldn't even lift him?

I was reminded again why it's usually Kuwabara who carries him. But I refused to ask an injured girl for assistance.

Sighing, I knelt, placed Hiei back down onto the black glass. I would have to summon another Thrashvine, tie him like a pork roast, and pull him along the ground.

And then, even in my deafened state, I heard the raucous blast of a horn.

If it had been the sound of Gabriel's trumpet, I would not have been surprised. Getting shakily to my feet, putting myself between Hiei and the sound, I saw----

The Cavalry had arrived.

(To be concluded: Will Hiei ever come to?)

-30-


	6. DBH C6: Hello, Central, Give Me

Disclaimer: Kenshin does not own the _Yuu Yuu Hakusho_ characters (they are the property of Togashi Yoshihiro et al), and does not make any money from said characters. Don't sue.

What Kenshin does own, however, are all the original characters in this work. Any attempt to "borrow" these characters will be met with the katana, or worse.

The events in _Idiot Beloved_ take place shortly after the Dark Tournament; it sequel _Firebird Sweet_ directly follows that timeline, and this particular sidefic occurs a few years later.

Title: Death by Hiei C6: (Hello Central, Give Me No-Man's-Land)

Author: JaganshiKenshin

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Rating: T

Summary: The aftermath of Hiei's new attack leaves him helpless---but there are still a couple of surprises in store.

A/N: Using Kurama as a first-person, viewpoint character, continues to prove irresistible. And the fox-boy gets more than his share of troubles in this concluding chapter.

See my accompanying sketches on LJ, and as always, thanks to my faithful few---please keep reading and reviewing! ^^

"I wonder where he keeps that thing..."

Death by Hiei (C6: Hello Central? Give Me No-Man's-Land)

by

Kenshin

The air was gradually becoming warmer, and not just from the aftermath of Hiei's astounding attack. There was a sense here, in the arena of sand, that even the atmosphere found it safe to return to a semblance of normalcy. As I glanced up, the sky once again lightened to an unrelieved dove-gray.

Then I looked down at Hiei's still form.

From what I know of weaponry, any weapon which requires its wielder to stand within the strike zone, subject to its destructive powers, is highly unusual.

Even the most offensive weapons are designed to protect the user: they radiate. The Dragon, for example, or my Rose Whip, or Shayla Kidd's Beretta. Yuusuke is never within the line of fire from his own Rei Gun. And a sword, such as Kuwabara's Rei-ken or Hiei's run-of-the-mill katana, creates a fair defensive perimeter, the swordsman protected within. The sword does not turn and strike at its master.

So with Hiei sprawled on the ground as if dead (even though his sword had obliterated Bui with brutal efficiency), I had to wonder at this attack's ultimate sustainability.

Another horn-blast sounded. Everything hit me at once. My legs gave way. I crashed to my knees on the lake of black glass.

The cavalry had come---and Urameshi Yuusuke was at the wheel.

In a Toyota Landcruiser, to be exact, its soft top down, the body gleaming an improbable, candy-sparkle pink. Riding shotgun was Kuwabara Kazuma, and they had managed to retrieve Shay-san as well: goggles still up on her head, she huddled in the back seat.

Yuusuke slung the car sideways. Spraying sand and pebbles, it skidded to a halt just outside the lake of black glass.

"Yo, Kurama!" Yuusuke gave a cheerful wave; reading his lips barely enabled me to discern his words, for I was all but deaf to any sound quieter than a jet engine at takeoff. "Somebody call for the meat wagon?"

Wearing his patented grin, Kuwabara jumped out and pointed at Hiei. "Need a hand with that pile of rags?"

I nodded. Kuwabara shrugged off his leather jacket, flung it over Hiei. Bending, he grunted once, then cleaned and jerked the semi-conscious fire demon.

With Hiei slung over one shoulder like a sack of grain, Kuwabara grimaced, dabbed at his sweaty brow with a hand the size of a haddock. "Whoa, what's he been eatin'? Bowling balls?"

"Guess we're too late to see that sword of his in action?" Yuusuke hopped out of the car, cranking his head all around.

"What d'_you_ think?" Kuwabara trudged back to the vehicle, still carrying Hiei. "This guy's unconscious, there's a big black pool of melted sand, and no one else is left alive."

"_I_ am," I mouthed.

"You got a point there, Kuwabara," sighed Yuusuke. "Would've been fun to watch, though."

_No, it wouldn't_, I retorted silently.

When we reached the car, Kuwabara unceremoniously shoved Hiei into the back seat next to my sister-become, and I got in, only to have Hiei flop onto my shoulder, boneless as an eel.

Then I felt a tug at my vest. I looked down. The little gray jaki Shay-san had adopted was along for the ride, too, and engaged in a vigorous search of my pockets, sniffing for food.

I might have known.

"What happened to your face?" Adjusting the rear-view mirror, Yuusuke raised a questioning eyebrow. My exposed skin, too, bore signs of a sunburn similar to Hiei's.

"Not to look gift horses in the mouth," I countered, as Hiei slid off the seat, legs-first, "but where did you get this vehicle?" Latching on to Kuwabara's borrowed jacket, I pulled Hiei back up.

Kuwabara cast us a sour glance in the rear-view mirror. "That jacket better not pick up any Hiei cooties!"

On Hiei's other side, Shay-san bit down hard on her worse reply. All she said was, "You're lucky he's still unconscious."

Hiei twitched, muttering, "Hand me that knife, would you?"

"Kyaaaaaaa!" Kuwabara gave a pronounced shiver. "I take it back, man. You get all the cooties you want on my jacket."

"Don't worry," I said. "I'm certain Hiei's only talking in his sleep."

Kuwabara sighed, relaxing visibly.

"Or almost certain," I added. Kuwabara flinched again.

The jaki, finding nothing to eat in my pockets, scrambled onto Shay-san's shoulder. "What a good little jaki," she said absently, scratching behind its ears until it dissolved into shivers of ecstasy.

Yuusuke clicked the key into the ignition, turned it, and the car roared to life. With a hideous grinding of gears, we were off.

"Hey, Urameshi!" pleaded Kuwabara. "Lemme drive, willya?"

"No way, Kuwabara---Genkai entrusted the keys to me."

"I was standin' right there when you grabbed 'em outta her hand," Kuwabara retorted.

"Do either of you have a license?" Shay-san squinted suspiciously. The jaki, woozy from petting, staggered from her shoulder, climbed into my vest pocket, and promptly fell asleep.

"C'mon, Urameshi, pull over." Kuwabara gave him an elbow; the Landcruiser veered hard right. "No fair hoggin' the wheel!"

"Who's hogging?" said Yuusuke. "I call this driving."

I, however, did not. The candy-pink car bounced and joggled so that Hiei slid to the floor again. Shay-san and I righted him. They were the only licensed drivers---and with Hiei unconscious and Shay-san's wrist in a sling, neither was about to relieve Yuusuke at the wheel.

Yuusuke hurled the Landcruiser straight for a jutting rock at the edge of the sand pit. "That's ten points!" he crowed. I felt the impact all the way up my spine. Hiei slid onto Shay-san's lap. The jaki stirred in its sleep and nipped me right through my shirt.

"It's going to be a long trip," sighed Shayla Kidd, voicing my sentiments exactly.

0-0-0-0-0

Eventually, Yuusuke and Kuwabara dropped us back at Hiei's home, more or less in one piece. Then they spun off again, whether to go joy-riding or to return Genkai her wheels, they did not specify.

By that time, I'd had enough of the jaki's dubious companionship, and deposited it in the foundation plantings.

And also by that time, Hiei seemed to have regained his normal weight. When we finally wrestled him inside, we dumped his semi-conscious form in a cold tub, clothes and all.

Shay-san explained that this procedure was per Hiei's instructions---and I realized that I had seen the after-effects of Sword of the Archangel once before, when Hiei had returned alive from battling White Sands Serpent.

Huddling beside the tub until Hiei's sight and hearing returned, we mostly passed the time blinking at one another and shouting, "Can you hear me yet?" "No. Can you?"

At least after shooting the Dragon, Hiei can hold off sleep for a while. But an attack that instantly renders one deaf, blind and comatose has its drawbacks. An enemy detail could hide away, just far enough to escape the strike zone, waiting for that telltale flash, and after it died down, finish Hiei off.

The flush on Hiei's skin faded quickly enough. While we both kept half an eye on him lest he sink into the tub and drown, I tended Shay-san's scrapes and bruises, and her injured wrist.

My mind was already racing, working on more elegant solutions to the effects of the Sword of the Archangel than mere goggles and earmuffs.

All futile, given my inability to retrieve the sword.

Every now and then Hiei roused himself enough to cast a bleary red glare our way, and Shay-san leaned over the tub to administer him some eye drops.

Knowing she couldn't hear me, I muttered, "Even that won't get the red out." I added, in a louder voice, "Tell Hiei I think this new attack of his needs work."

There was a wicked little gold glint in her eye when she turned to me. "Fine. I'll also tell Hiei what you called him back then on the rock."

"And that would be...?"

"'Dearest friend,' I believe it was."

"I recall nothing of the sort."

"Men." But she smiled at me.

"Not men. Demons."

She shrugged. "There's a difference?"

0-0-0-0-0

The next day, with all of us more or less recovered, my mother and stepfather were on their way to Hiei's house, Michael and Cecilia in tow. I had arrived earlier---to my regret.

Hiei dragged me out into the yard, where the jaki hopped up to him, and he unloaded a rain of crackers upon its head. But before he could say anything, I interrupted. "I'm truly sorry."

Peering intently at me, Hiei raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"Back in the park, I couldn't apprehend the gunman. And now--" I turned my head away.

"What?"

The day was warm, humid. I could smell the rich scent of leaf mould, and feel the pleasant, filtered sun burnish my cheek. I turned back. "And now, I was unable to recover your sword."

To my surprise, Hiei laughed. "It's still with me."

"Where?" I glanced around the yard.

Hiei did not elaborate on the sword's location. However, with the perpetually hungry jaki at his feet gorging itself on crackers, and my face heating up---not from the sun this time--- Hiei proceeded to berate me for a solid quarter-hour regarding my failure to get Shay-san out of the way in time to prevent a broken wrist.

Then, he thanked me for getting her out of the way at all.

Lastly, he made it clear in no uncertain terms what would happen to me if I pulled "a stunt like that again."

My ears were still burning when Kaasan and my stepfather Hatanaka Tsugi returned with the twins.

Shortly afterward, Yuusuke and Kuwabara joined us, and we all sat at the table, surrounded by a bounty of take-out food courtesy of Hatanaka-san. This spread included gyoza of every description, tuna rolls, tako yaki, and assorted curries.

"Hey, Michael!" Yuusuke winked at the little boy. "Want your Uncle Yuusuke to teach you how to drive?"

Michael favored Yuusuke with one of his rare smiles.

"It's times like these I'm grateful we don't have a car," murmured Shay-san.

"So Bui's history?" Yuusuke reached for the octopus dumplings. "What a waste of talent. That guy was strong."

"Yeah." Kuwabara spoke around a mouthful of tuna roll. "Bui coulda come over from the dark side---like Hiei."

"Think so?" Yuusuke narrowed his eyes, as if trying to picture Team Urameshi with Bui on the bench.

"On second thought maybe not," Kuwabara added. "Hiei hadda be beaten into behaving himself by you."

"True enough." Yuusuke turned to study Hiei. "Y'know, for a guy who wins most of his fights, Hiei sure ends up lying on his back with his mouth open a lot."

Hiei continued forking up beef curry, oblivious to insults, displaying a serenity I would have thought impossible---until I realized he was probably still 90 percent deaf.

Shay-san picked delicately at her food as best she could with her splinted wrist, while Kaasan watched us all with much amusement, and Hatanaka-san pretended not to hear.

I decided to take advantage of the situation. "Don't bolt your food," I lectured Hiei. "You're not a teenager any more."

Hiei ignoring me, leaving me free to ply him with insults. Otousan going a little pink around the ears, as he always does whenever talk turns to our 'profession.' And Kaasan giggling at everyone, trying to hide her merriment behind one of her dear, scarred hands.

Life was good.

Later, in the living room over coffee, Shay-san bemoaned the fact that we hadn't discovered how Bui came to dwell in Genkai's foothills. Had he opened a hole in the barrier protecting _Ningenkai_ from _Makai_, or had he remained on the island after the Dark Tournament, somehow making his way to the mainland?

"I don't imagine we'll ever know," I said. "But that chapter of Hiei's life seems to have ended well enough."

Hiei shrugged. "The past always comes back to bite you in the---" He stopped himself, glancing at Michael and Cecilia.

Kaasan rose, extending both hands to the little ones: "How would you like to come outside and play with Baachan?"

Hatanaka-san rose as well. "And Jiichan!" He beamed. "Don't forget Jiichan!"

The little ones most enthusiastically would. And then Yuusuke and Kuwabara took their leave as well, Yuusuke saying, "Gotta get the Landcruiser back to Genkai before she calls the cops on us."

We three remaining souls waited for them to head out. When they had gone, Hiei pulled That Phone from his pocket---the discourteous one which had refused to call for help back in the park. "I have to file my report anyway." Clicking it open, he gave it a directive: "Get me Rome, please."

"Get it yourself," grumbled the phone.

In the next instant, the phone flared up, leaving nothing but ash in Hiei's palm. "Oops," he sighed. "My hand slipped."

Shay-san was laughing so hard she slid off the sofa.

Then Hiei turned to me, making sure he had my full attention, and gave me the sweetest smile. It sent shudders of ice through my veins. That smile said: _What happened to this phone could just as easily happen to you_.

I do not believe Hiei really meant he will immolate me the next time I fail to do exactly as he says. I'm told the Vatican frowns on the wholesale slaughter of dearest friends. Still. He is Hiei.

I wonder where he keeps that sword.

0-0-0-0-0

(A/N: Thanks for reading through to the end! This concludes _Death By Hiei_.

The motif of the Hero's Sword is something I first explored in _Idiot Beloved_ and it continues here, detailing the progression in both the sword's power and potential backlash. _Portrait of the Demon_ is its corollary tale; please scroll down for a preview of that story's conclusion.)

0-0-0-0-0

"Then..." wondered Shizuru, "this isn't a dream?"

"No," said Hiei. It's quite real. And I know you're scared."

"I'm not." She tried getting another cigarette out of her pack, but her hands were still clumsy. "Skip it. I ought to cut down anyway."

"You cutting down? Now I know you're rattled."

"Nice try."

"Come off it. You've been living in Honshu, and you haven't seen me face-to-face in fifteen years. You don't know who I am or what I've become and you just watched me drift from the shadows to obliterate something the size of a city block with a single flick of my finger." He paused. "I'd be scared, too."

"I'm not scared," she repeated. "Well, not much."

-30-


End file.
